Warning: Batman: Resurrection is a direct sequel to events in Batman (1989) and prequel to events in Batman Returns, so Late Arrival Spoilers for those films may be unmarked on this page.
Batman: Resurrection is an upcoming Batman novel by John Jackson Miller and set for release on October 15, 2024. It is a sequel to Tim Burton's Batman (1989), celebrating the film's 35th anniversary. The novel will also bridge the gap between the 1989 film and Batman Returns.
Pre-release material for Resurrection provides examples of:
- The Bus Came Back: The synopsis
reveals Alexander Knox is returning to the Burton Film continuity for the first time since the original film. Given Knox was a Sequel Non-Entity during Returns, it's unclear as of the pre-release if Resurrection will finally answer in-universe why he vanished. - Call-Forward:
- The Synopsis reveals Mac Shreck will be trying to take advantage of the post-Joker criminal activity to further his own schemes — much as he'll do with the Penguin's campaign come Returns.
- The Synopsis also states Bruce and Vick Vale are having relationship struggles over his being Batman. We know from Returns that this "difficulty with duality" causes them to break up in-between movies.
- The Synopsis
- Foregone Conclusion: Again, Returns established Bruce and Vicki Vale's broke up before Returns over his being Batman. The pre-release dramatic tension lies in what specifically happened that finally caused the break-up (and whether that will happen during this events of this novel or not).
- Interquel: Resurrection will be set in the gap between Batman and Batman Returns.
- Mythology Gag: The initial cover duplicates the 1989 film's theatrical poster. Miller's name is likewise depicted in the same font use to credit Jack Nicholson and Michael Keaton.
- Prequel: Since Resurrection is chronologically set prior to Returns, the Synopsis shows it will be setting up some elements of the sequel (most prominently Max Shreck).
- The Remnant: The Synopsis reveals elements of the Joker's crime syndicate are still active and causing problems. This also appears to be a minor Retcon, given Gordon's speech at the end of the first film about how the GCPD had rounded up all of the Joker's men. It's possible Gordon was in PR mode or that the GCPD honestly thought they had gotten the entire syndicate (or alternately some of Joker's men made bail or had charges dropped in the interim). As of the pre-release, it's unclear how Miller will reconcile this (if he even does).
- Saved by Canon: Bruce, Alfred, Gordon, and Max Shreck will all survive the events of Resurrection since they'll go on to appear in Returns (as will Vicki Vale, though she'll have broken up with Bruce and left Gotham by the time of Returns).
- In theory, Alexander Knox is also safe given his Earth-89 cameo in Crisis on Infinite Earths (2019) (though as of the pre-release, it's also unclear on whether Miller feels beholdden to the Arrowverse Multiverse continuity or not).
- Villainous Legacy: The Synopsis reveals that while the Joker may be dead and gone, Gotham is stuck dealing with the ongoing fallout of his rampage (between still active-elements of his crime syndicate and the victims of the Smylex Gas exposure during the 200th Anniversary Parade).
